For the Record: ‘If we stay on track’ — Harper sets the stage for 2015

Though Stephen Harper seemed to suffer from prompter troubles Monday the speech he gave still departed little from the prepared notes presented below. In it the prime minister touches on the economy, Canada’s place in the world and the government’s trade agenda. Between the contents of the speech, the human backdrop of MPs and Canadian flags for a finishing touch, it had all the trappings of a campaign kick off.

Bonjour, tout le monde! Good morning, everyone!

Thank you for that warm Conservative welcome!

Friends, a new sitting of Parliament is beginning.

We are excited And we should be … Je suis heureux d’être ici avec notre équipe conservatrice. Je suis heureux de mettre l’accent sur notre programme … excited to be able to take our agenda farther and faster than ever before; excited to get things done for Canadians!

Friends, this summer I was fortunate to once again go across this beautiful country from sea to sea to sea. Canadians I spoke with urged that we continue to implement our plan to build a better Canada… et de continuer à faire avancer notre pays dans la bonne direction … that we keep moving this country forward in the right direction!

My friends, our plan is not complicated. We’re here to create jobs and lower taxes. We’re here to help Canadian families. And we are here for Canada.

Un Canada prospère, Un Canada sûr, Un Canada solide … A prosperous Canada, a secure Canada, a strong Canada,… a Canada that truly is, and must remain, the best country in the world!

Now friends, as we have been reminded this past summer in so many ways we live in an uncertain world, indeed, a dangerous world. But the measure of good government, the true test of leadership lies not in achieving success in times of stability and peace, but in doing so during times of risk and danger.

The result is that today, we have emerged from the worst global economic downturn since the Great Depression with an economy that is, make no mistake, the envy of the world! Even as other countries have stagnated or worse, Canada has created nearly 1.1 million jobs and they are overwhelmingly private-sector, full-time, high-paying jobs!

There are still Significant challenges In our labour market But there are also maintenant, plus de Canadiens que jamais vont travailler tous les jours dans de bons emplois stables!

Tax breaks for first-time homebuyers, Care givers, transit users, Children’s arts and sports programs. All this adds up to money in people’s pockets — of nearly three and a half thousand dollars, every year, for the average Canadian family!

And, friends, we have accomplished all this while keeping our budget on track, and headed back into balance, on schedule, as we promised!

We Conservatives know Canadian taxpayers have not done the hard work of balancing the budget so that governments can raise taxes, or accumulate more debt, or to funnel big envelopes of cash to interest groups.

A balanced budget will allow us to continue delivering lower taxes for Canadians, as Minister Oliver just did on Employment Insurance premiums for small business! We will keep delivering For Canadians and their families.

And I look forward to the Economic and Fiscal Update this Fall, when we will be taking the first steps in the next part of our Conservative plan for Canadians!

Now friends, just as we’re working to balance the budget and lower taxes, we’re also working to find new opportunities for Canada in the world, opportunities that will create good jobs for Canadians.

You know, when we took office, in this era of global markets, Canada had free trade agreements with only five other countries.The previous government had taken us virtually out of the game of trade negotiations.

Now, with free-trade agreements with 43 countries, Canada will have one of the greatest trading networks in the world. And, friends, 98.5 per cent of that free-trade access has been created by Conservative governments!

L’année dernière seulement, nous avons négocié deux accords particulièrement ambitieux un avec la République de Corée et l’autre avec l’Union européenne … and I look forward to hosting the Presidents of the EU and the President of South Korea here in Ottawa this month as we celebrate these historic achievements!

This all means that Canadian businesses will now have access to more than half the global economy, l’accès des pêcheurs à l’Atlantique, les concepteurs de logiciel à Québec … for manufacturers in Ontario, farmers on the Prairies, foresters in British Columbia and, of course, many, many more.

Canadian consumers can also expect more choice at better prices. But friends, we’re also helping families, and all consumers, with other, common-sense measures, like banning the practice of charging people who want to receive their bills in the mail, like letting Canadians choose to pay for the TV channels they actually want … et en continuant de s’opposer à des taxes sur des services comme la taxe proposée sur Netflix et YouTube! … and by continuing to oppose any tax on services like Netflix and YouTube!

And as Conservatives, we also know that helping families means keeping our streets and communities safe. Canadians want a criminal justice system that protects law-abiding citizens and makes the well-being of victims – not criminals – its central concern. And that’s exactly what We’re delivering.

That’s why we’ve introduced the Victims Bill of Rights, a first in Canadian history. That’s why we’ve made public safety the priority when dealing with dangerous individuals who have been deemed not criminally responsible for violent acts.

Friends, we’re also here to stand up for Canada in the world, as I said at the outset, not just a risky world, but an increasingly dangerous one.

Canadians have wanted us to pursue a foreign policy that is rooted in protecting our interests and projecting our values, not As our critics have long advocated, to just go along to get along.

You know, we were told for years, to just ignore the erosion of freedoms or the growing hostility from Putin’s Russia, after all, The Cold War Was over. Over, except of course, in the mind of Mr. Putin.

Finally, the world is waking up. And since the Putin regime invaded Ukraine, we have been leading the way in seeking the political and economic isolation of Russia … Nous avons imposé certaines des sanctions les plus sévères dans le monde.

We’ve shipped non-lethal military supplies to help the Ukrainian government. We’re providing financial assistance. And we’ve deployed the Canadian Armed Forces to help reassure our NATO allies in Eastern Europe.

And let me tell you, in the councils of the world, there is no ambiguity As to where Canada stands. We will not rest until the people of Ukraine are free to choose their own destiny — Free from Russian boots on their soil, free from intimidation … Nous ne reconnaîtrons jamais l’occupation illégale de la Crimée, ni l’annexion de toute autre partie du territoire souverain de l’Ukraine! … We will never recognize the illegal occupation of Crimea, nor any other inch of Ukraine’s sovereign territory!

We are also standing with our allies against the threat of the terrorist group ISIL. Canadians are rightly sickened by their savage slaughter of anyone who doesn’t share their twisted view of the world. We know their ideology is not the result of “social exclusion” or other so-called “root causes.”

And friends, in this fight, we also stand with the democratic State of Israel. As we have again this year, as Israelis have once more come under attack from the terrorist group Hamas. I know There continue to be those who question The wisdom of our policy. Who, just as they once wished we would be more embracing of Putin, now would wish us to be more ambivalent about Israel, to go along to get along with those who regularly single out Israel for criticism.

Friends, That position is wrong.

What is the difference Between Hamas and Israel And ISIL and us? One thing: Hamas is a lot closer to Israel than ISIL is to us. Israel is the frontline and anyone among the free and democratic nations that turns their back on Israel, or turns a blind eye to the nature of Israel’s enemies does so, in the long run, at their own peril. And so Canada will continue to stand by Israel through fire and water!

Friends, we are blessed to live in the best country in the world, and if we stay on track, I firmly believe the future will be better still.

We choose to put honest, law-abiding citizens and victims ahead of criminals.

And we choose to take a strong stand in the world, based on our values, based on our interests, based on standing by our friends and standing up against those who threaten them and us.

Amis, notre programme est clair, et il nous reste encore beaucoup de travail à faire. It will soon be 150 years since Sir John A. Macdonald first conceived of this united Canada extending from sea to sea to sea, a national dream widely doubted at the time but today the proud inheritance of each and every Canadian, with our red Maple Leaf everywhere understood as a symbol of prosperity, security and strength.

And we know the best is yet to come.

Merci beaucoup! Thank you, and God bless Canada!

5 comments on “For the Record: ‘If we stay on track’ — Harper sets the stage for 2015”

Mr. Harper has turned his back on Ontario, Quebec and Eastern Canada, Veterans and the Unemployed and Underemployed. In 2015 it will be these Canadian citizens who will turn their backs on our beloved Prime Minister and his American poisonous political refuge.

What about all the scandals? This Harper government has going for them. Duffy , His Chief of Staff, ( Nigel ) who now has another CEO job. Sounds like a big cover up on the PM’s side. Sort of corrupt with in the whole Senate . Really to many cover ups in this whole Parliament in Canada , we really don’t know what is going on up there . I’m sure Harper will tell you any thing to get you too vote for his Party . how can you trust these people. Debating is a complete waste of time. We are not back in the 1800 . Debating does nothing but cover up what is really going on behind the scenes. Old and Antiquated is Canada’s Parliamentary system. Why do we pay these personified MP’s , what do they do?